The storybook village of Saugatuck is less than three hours from Chicago but feels as though it’s a thousand miles away. It’s been a summertime destination for Chicagoans since The Gilded Age.

The story of how the Manitou Islands earned their names dates back to a time when the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes inhabited the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, in the “little finger” of Michigan’s Mitten.

If you’re a nature-lover in search of peace and quiet, who gets pleasure from hiking, fishing, hunting and other active relaxation, add Beaver Island to your bucket list.

The most timeless action of Les Cheneaux (pronounced Lay-shen-o) is on the trails—its water trails, a new birding trail, or on one of many conservancy-preserved forest trails.

Isle Royale is considered one of the least accessible parks in the 50 states because there are no roads on the island and no roads lead to it. Visitors can reach the wilderness area only by float plane, passenger ferries or private boat, and only from mid-April through October.

Today, with its pastel-colored hotels, shops, grand “cottages” and historic and scenic sites, Mackinac Island is still a gathering place, a special destination year-round, but especially from May through October.

At about 13,500 acres and with 35 miles of shoreline, Grand Island is nearly the size of Manhattan in New York, yet remains relatively unknown.

Head out of Chicago toward Michigan, and as soon as you cross the state line you are in Harbor Country. Just like that, you’ve left the hustle and bustle of the city behind.

Discover why Marquette, Michigan has been dubbed “Queen City of the North.”